Kathmandu, 1 November: The CPN (Maoist Centre) has pledged to stand firmly for nationality, sovereignty and territorial integrity by taking diplomatic initiatives to take back the encroached land such as Kalapani, Lipulek and Limpiyadhura. The party, while launching its election manifesto, it has outlined its foreign policy principles in 14 points.

Although Nepal’s official map was launched incorporating the encroached land on the basis of national consensus, those encroached lands were yet to be practically returned back to Nepal. Towards this, the party reaffirmed its foreign policy through the commitment paper and viewed that the foreign policy should be based on factors such as national interest, zone of peace, Panchasheel and non-alignment, nationality and strong national unity for sovereignty.

According to the party subscribing leftist ideologies, Nepal’s main foreign policy is the policy of non-alignment. It has also made commitment to amend the national security policy ensuring that the national independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, natural resources and pride of the Nepalis are protected and promoted.

Security agencies and local police would be well-equipped with resources while emphasis will be laid in making the Nepali Army more efficient, modern and resourceful. Effective implementation of autonomous governance system and concurrent governance through federal government system has been outlined in the commitment paper.

The foreign policy would be guided by the principle of Panchasheel and non-alignment, Charter of the United Nations and national interest and welfare and while exercising foreign policy, factors such as Nepal’s right to make decision, independence, territorial integrity and protection of sovereignty would be taken into consideration.

“Considering the geopolitical situation, friendly and cordial relations would be established with Nepal’s two neighbouring countries and Nepal shall not allow use of its territory against any neighbouring country,” the CPN (Maoist Centre) unveiled its commitment. Furthermore, the party aims to free Nepal from any type of foreign military activities and establish Nepal as a zone of peace. Nepal would not participate in any bilateral or multilateral military alliance with any countries. T

he party, as per the Charter of the United Nations and established international legal standards, would emphasize seeking resolutions through peaceful dialogues if any international disputes or conflicts. The party would stress on world peace and goodwill and would protest the expansion of military might, production of nuclear arms and show-off of arms and ammunitions. The party would review the uneven treaties between Nepal and other foreign countries such as trilateral treaty on recruitment of the Gorkha soldiers in 1947, Peace and Friendship Treaty with India in 1950, treaty with India on water resources, trade and transportation and do the needful actions such as revoking, replacing and amending those treaties.

Considering the country’s need to build self-reliant and independent economy, the party would consider gradually minimizing the foreign assistance, grants and loan given to Nepal on various conditions. Furthermore, the party would receive foreign investment and loan for development works and constructions of physical infrastructures only while the party would not accept any foreign support that are against national interest and country’s sovereignty. According to the commitments made by the CPN (Maoist Centre), the government agencies working in the diplomatic sector or foreign affairs would be updated and streamlined and made relevant.

According to the manifesto, active efforts would be made to conduct public diplomacy employing tools and techniques such as soft power and digital diplomacy and to promote national interest. The party would also make efforts to address the demands of the Gorkha soldiers regarding the equal pay and facilities on par with their British counterparts for the same works and responsibilities the Gorkha soldiers shoulder.